Bear
Mountain in Salisbury has
the tallest peak in the state of
Connecticut at 2,316 feet (the
highest point in Connecticut is
2,380 feet on a mountainside of
Mt. Frissel whose peak is in
Massachusetts). There are a few
ways to get to the top and all of
them fall under the strenuous
category (BerkshireHiking.com is
geared towards the day-hiker so if
you're a hard-core hiker this
would be a great workout but
probably wouldn't fall under
strenuous for you). You must be in
decent physical condition to
attempt Bear Mountain. It's a long
hike and steep. But if you take
your time and bring plenty of
water and "energy food" the views
from Bear Mountain are
breathtaking and well worth the
effort.

The most logical way to climb up
to Bear Mountain would be to take
Undermountain Trail which
is 3 miles north of Salisbury off
of Route 41. (There's a dirt
parking lot on the left hand side
and during summer months it's easy
to drive right past it since it's
covered up by trees and bushes.)
Undermountain Trail might be the
most popular trail in the state
since it's a jumping off point for
a wide variety of hikes and is
part of the Appalachian Trail.
Because of this the trail is well
maintained and clearly marked.
Undermountain Trail is steep as it
rises straight up for 2 miles
where it meets up with the
Appalachian Trial. There's no
easing into the hike here! It gets
your heart pumping straight off.
When you reach the large wooden trail
sign
as Undermountain and Appalachian
Trails meet, you'll take a right
turn onto the Appalachian Trail.
From here it's about another
mile to the top of Bear Mountain
with a short, semi-steep rise
the final few hundred yards. An
old stone tower remains (really
just a large piles of rocks
neatly arranged) and when you
scramble up, you're rewarded for
your efforts. Hike up here on a
clear day and you'll be
impressed and refreshed! This
hike is about 5-6 miles round
trip.

Another option to Bear Mountain is
to start at Lion's Head
and follow the Appalachian Trail
over to Bear Mountain. This route
is a little longer than
Undermountain Trail option but is
probably a little less
strenuous...although either route
is challenging. Lion's Head is a
spectacular sight in and of
itself. Incorporate Bear Mountain
and you'll earn the title of
"hardcore hiker"! Click on our
description of Lion's
Head for directions and
information about this unique
spot. Once you've hike up the
short but steep trail to Lion's
Head, take in the spectacular
views and fuel up. Then head north
on the Appalachian Trail, marked
with white paint on tree trunks. A
few hundred yards up from Lion's
Head is a nice open plateau with a
beautiful view of distant
mountains and lush forest (You'll
also hear the distant rumble of a
waterfall but don't venture down
the mountain side with it's thick
growth in hopes of seeing the
waterfall. It's not as close as it
sounds and potentially a dangerous
thing to do).

Keep going along the Appalachian
Trail as it makes it way through
thick woodlands, over
streams/small waterfalls, past
marshy areas, and on up towards
Bear Mountain. If you're there
during mid-June to July, white and
pink mountain laurel explodes
throughout this region and is
quite a site to behold. Along the
way you'll pass overnight
campgrounds and shelters. The Riga
campsite is a good place to get
some fresh mountain spring water.
Never drink from a stream or river
no matter how clean it may
seem...use the water spout
available at the campground. At
Riga you can take in some nice
views of the valley below from the
wooden shelter area. After the pit
stop here, venture on towards Bear
Mountain (This is also a good
place to decide if you want to
keep going or would like to call
it a day and try Bear Mountain
some other time. If you're already
tired it wouldn't be wise to
continue on). It's still a good
little hike to Bear Mountain but
the terrain is very manageable
from Riga campsite. Remember, by
driving up the steep road to
Lion's Head and then climbing
Lion's Head you've already taken
care of a lot of the steep
part...there's just a short
semi-steep climb the last few
hundreds at Bear Mountain. After
you've taken in the spectacular
views at Bear Mountain just turn
around and follow the Appalachian
Trail back to Lion's Head and your
car. An extra benefit of this
trail option is that you'll take
in the views at Lion's Head again
before heading back to your car.

All in all, the hike(s) up to
Bear Mountain are tough ones for
the average day-hiker but you
don't have to be in world class
shape to attempt it. With a little
patience, plenty of water and
snacks, and determination, the
rewards far outweigh the strains
of climbing up the tallest peak in
Connecticut. And you'll be proud
and happy you did! (Verified page
info: March 2015)

Bear Mountain is a popular
destination and often a choice
destination for group outings. If
you are interested in joining up
with a group you can check the
schedules of local AMC Chapters
and perhaps doing a search for
group hikes to Bear Mountain in
Salisbuy. Connecticut
AMC,
Berkshire AMC, New
York AMC